Individual Therapy Bethesda MD

The holiday season is officially over. The New Year began over a week ago, and while some may be doing great with their resolutions, others may already feel them slipping away. Because of the tendency for us to feel guilt over typical resolutions and because of their likelihood to fail, I like to take a different approach to making a New Years resolution. Rather than pick a goal for my year, I like to reflect on what I want for the coming year by choosing a word to inspire and guide me. This word can be anything that focuses you on your goals, perhaps something that you would like to incorporate more of in your day to day, or maybe a reminder of something to let go of.

Last year, inspired by reading the works of Brene Brown, I chose the word vulnerability. Brown considers vulnerability “the birthplace, of innovation, creativity, and change.” Because of this, I strove to let this word guide me in my daily life, in my interactions with others, and in my work. I posted the quote in my office and thought about how being vulnerable could to allow me to reach some of my other goals (both personal and professional).

This year, I have chosen the word intentionality to guide my year. We all tend to operate on autopilot more often than not. While I found the holidays to be a relaxing time during which I was able to spend quality time with family, I also found myself binging on Netflix or eating cookies in a decidedly unintentional way. Getting stuck like this often leads to thoughts like, “I don’t have control over my life!” I have realized that when I start to feel stuck, I feel much better when I make intentional choices about how I want to spend my time. Since the New Year has started, I still sometimes find myself mindlessly scrolling through email or social media, yet I have also committing to cooking at home more and to exercising daily (if even for a few minutes).

To me, being intentional is a way to ward off feeling stuck and experiencing a lack of control. We all have many commitments, and we all find ourselves on autopilot from time to time. But it’s also true that we each have the power to decide how to live our lives each day, and even each moment. Being intentional is a way to set yourself up for success with whatever your goals are. It promotes self-awareness, and allows us to be open to making changes in our lives.

I encourage you to think about what intentionality means to you, and how you might incorporate the word into your new year. Even better, I encourage you to pick your own word to guide your 2018. Rather than set yourself up for failure with a typical New Years resolution, let that word serve as motivation for you to live your best life this year.

Laura Golojuch provides couple, family, and individual therapy, as well as premarital counseling services, in our downtown Bethesda office. Call 240-752-7650, or email [email protected], to set up a first appointment or complimentary telephone consultation with Laura!